Which laminate is better to choose for an apartment?

Before making repairs in an apartment or a private house, we think about how to choose a good and high-quality material for the floor, and even to be inexpensive, serve us for a long time, and there are no signs of scuffing, cuts from furniture, shoes on it etc. One of such coatings is laminate (also called laminated flooring - LDL). Laminate is a well-known product that is used in the repair and construction of residential premises for flooring. If you choose this coating, then which laminate is better to choose for an apartment? The answer to this and many other questions is in our article.

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Main criteria

This coating can be easily cleaned from stains, and besides, it is not afraid of high temperature, which cannot be said about other materials. That is, if you accidentally miss a hot appliance - nothing will happen to the material, it will remain safe and sound. But such a result can be obtained only if you know how to choose a laminate for an apartment.

LPN should be selected according to the following criteria:

• Impact resistance;
• Resistance to moisture;
• Wear resistance;
• Scratch resistant;
• Laminate surface design;
• Brand name;
• Price.

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Types of Laminate

By appointment, it is easiest to determine which laminate is best to choose for an apartment. There are two types of LDL: commercial and household:

1. Commercial type is intended for office or retail premises, where there is a large load on the floor.
2. Household is just the same for a private house or apartment.

Important! The ultra-high wear resistance and scratch resistance of the laminate is very important in rooms where a very large load is applied to the floor (offices, warehouses).

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Laminate coating and base

Laminate is a multilayer material. Let's see what it consists of:

• Base;
• Decorative layer;
• Protective layer;
• Stabilizing layer.

Each of these layers has its own characteristics and functions that they perform:

1. The decorative layer of the laminate has the most diverse design. For example, wood, marble, tile, granite with an unusual ornament. But most often in houses you can find a laminate made under a tree.
2. The protective coating is made of melamine-formaldehyde resins that protect against external irritants.
3. For the base, water-resistant fiberboard, chipboard, MDF and HDF boards are used. MDF and MDF boards use medium density (650-850 kg / m³). Laminate with such a density is used for rooms where there is a large cross.

Important! For a house with a heavy load, it is worth using a material based on an HDF board, since it is denser than fiberboard and MDF boards. Accordingly - and the price of such coverage is more.

Production technology

Different methods are used in the manufacture of the laminate, but the most famous technology is direct compression (DPL). How this technique works: a decorative layer of paper is laid on the laminate base, a protective layer is placed on top, and a stabilizing layer is placed under the base. After that, the whole structure is pressed.

Important! Sometimes, between the base and the decorative layer, kraft paper is laid - due to this, the coating becomes stronger and more resistant to moisture.

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Choice of panel joining method

The most interesting process after buying a laminate can be called laying it, because it resembles a puzzle game. There are two methods for joining coating panels: lock and with glue.

Important! The last method has one big minus - if glued, it will not be possible to replace the panel if it is damaged. But with the castle method this is permissible.

The locking method of connection can be driven in and with snap locks:

1. The main advantage of snap locks is that you can do the styling process yourself.
2. The driving method requires a hammer and other tools.

Important! Which laminate is best to choose for an apartment by this criterion - determine for yourself, based on such conditions:

• Do you plan to do the installation yourself or do you prefer professional execution?
• Are you ready to pay the masters for laying the floor decor, because the amount can be up to half the cost of the material itself;
• Do you have enough knowledge and skills for laying laminate flooring.

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How is LDL superior to other coatings?

1. This building material is very practical and outshines other coatings with its high impact resistance, resistance to moisture, abrasion and scratches.
2. It withstands heavy loads and is easy to fit, and also unpretentious to temperature.
3. An additional advantage, as already written above - it is possible to erase any stain.
4. You can also choose any design of your choice that you like - there are no restrictions.
5. The cost of the material varies in the widest range, so from the proposed options you can easily choose the floor decor of an economy option or an elite coating of a decent level of quality.

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What to look for when buying a laminate

The first thing to do to choose the right laminate for an apartment by quality is to note the safety of the coating - it should not have formaldehyde higher than normal (it is contained in any natural wood in a small amount).

Important! If the package says E1 or EN - then this is the norm and the goods are safe.

In addition, it is worth paying attention to coverage classes. There are several numbers in the marking:

• the first indicates the thickness of the material (from 2 to 4);
• the second talks about the strength of the laminate (from 1 to 4).

Why should you know the strength of a laminate?

The strongest coating is marked in the second digit 3 or 4. How is the strength of the laminate checked? There is a special trowel - tiber. The more he makes the circuits, the stronger our coating:

• Number 1 - the tiber made from 6,000 to 10,000 revolutions;
• 2 - from 10,000 to 18,000;
• 3 - from 18,000 to 25,000;
• 4 - more than 25,000.
  
  

What rooms is the laminate for?

1. If the numbers 2 and 1 are on the packaging, then this is a very weak laminate, and it can be taken only for rooms with a low load.
2. If 3 and 2 - then it can be taken for rooms with a small load.
3. A product with numbers 3 and 4, 4 and 2, 4 and 3, 4 and 4 can be safely taken, because it is very durable and can withstand many loads.

Important! All these figures indicate the thickness and strength of the coating.

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How to choose a laminate: practical tips

Which laminate is better and better? Laminate is divided into six classes - they characterize the wear resistance and strength of the coating. To determine how durable the material is, it’s enough to find out which class it belongs to - as already mentioned earlier, the higher the class, the more stable the floor.

Class

There are three classes in the household type of coating: 21.22.23, and in the commercial - 31.32.23. How to determine which laminate is best to choose for an apartment by this criterion? - Follow these recommendations:

1. Class 23 - can be used in the kitchen or in the hallway, where the floors are exposed to moisture, abrasion and heavy weight load.
2. In the living room or children's room, you can use class 22, since in such rooms, as a rule, the load is slightly less.
3. A less durable class is 21 - it can only be used where there is less walking (for example, a pantry).
4. If you have a constant load in all rooms, then you can safely take a laminate from class 31 to class 33. And besides, it resists moisture well.

Thickness

Thickness is a very important point when buying. It happens from 6 to 12 millimeters.

Important! The greater the thickness of the material, the better sound insulation and cushioning, that is - comfort when walking.

It is worth paying attention to the area of ​​the room where the repair will be done - the larger it is, the thicker you need to take the material, otherwise - the floors will creak.

Substrate Type

According to technological requirements, it is necessary to spread the substrate before laying the laminate - if there are any irregularities in the floor, then the substrate will smooth out everything. It is of three types:

1. Polyethylene foam substrate - inexpensive, has good heat and sound insulation. Its minus is that after a lapse of time it can sag.
2. Cork substrate - has very good thermal insulation, does not sag. Minus - condensation can form on it and it costs by no means cheap.
3. Rubber or combined substrate - has all the good qualities of the first and second substrate, but it has a very high cost.

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How to choose a laminate - cheap or expensive?

Not everyone can afford to spend a lot of money on repairs. But in this case, you first need to look at the features of the coating, choose which laminate is best for the apartment, and lastly look at the price:

1. If you do not expect that the material will not last long or often like to experiment with the interior, then you can take an inexpensive laminate (starting from grade 21).
2. If you want the quality to justify the money you spent - it is better to take a laminate flooring, starting from grade 23 (grades 23,31,32,33).
3. Classes 31-33 are commercial, designed more for offices and warehouses, so they will last longer in your home.

Important! The service life of the coating in the house / apartment:

• Grade 21 - 1-2 years,
• Grade 22 - 2-4 years,
• 23rd grade - 4-6 years old,
• Grade 31 - from 10 to 12 years old
• 32nd grade - from 12 to 15 years old,
• 33rd grade - from 15 to 20 years.

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Laminate Care

To care for floors, you do not need to spend money on expensive means:

1. For light soiling, it’s enough to use a regular floor cleaner.
2. If the pollution is already very strong, then cleaning products such as Loba, Laminatclear or any of their analogues will help you.

Important! Chewing gum and similar substances can be carefully removed using a plastic or wooden scraper.

As you can see, taking care of the laminate is quite simple, but you need to learn a few rules for its operation, depending on the class:

1. Cleaning should be wet, but not wet at all. What kind of mop to choose to regularly perform the correct wet cleaning of the laminate flooring, because excess water on it is fraught with bloating and deformation of the panels? - A mop made of dense foam or microfiber will do.
2. You can clean the floors with a vacuum cleaner with a light mop, but if you need to remove serious stains, then take a regular mop or remove them manually with a rag, sponges.
3. Do the mop movements relative to the laminate panels.
4. Wash the floor with warm water, and wipe if possible at the end of the cleaning with a dry cloth.
5. Laminate does not require any polishing agents or waxes.
6. Do not leave water on the cover - it can pass through the joints and, like any tree, the laminate will warp.
7. Do not use soap to clean the floor - it corrodes wood.
8. Acidic and alkaline products and cleaners corrode the surface of any coating - use is not recommended.

Important! Typically, a laminate manufacturer's firm itself advises certain brands of detergents and cleaners.

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Stock footage

We hope our tips will help you choose a quality laminate, lay it right and take care of the finished coating with a minimum of time. So - a competent approach will allow you to maintain high aesthetics and special comfort in your home longer.